Early Lewmar #8 winch dismantle

[Mitch K]

All,
I have a late 1975 sailboat with Lewmar #8 winches. From my research, Lewmar started making the #8 sometime in 1975. I need to service the winches, and have only been able to partially dismantle them. The information I have been able to locate is for the winches with the stainless steel top plate that goes on just before the clip ring is reinstalled. My winches do not have the stainless top ring. The drum is directly attached via the snap ring. Anyway, I can remove the drum easy enough. Once the drum is off, there is a phenolic disk that is on top of the drum bearings. To remove the spindle, I need to remove the drum bearing, and the phenolic disk. The phenolic disk will not come off. It appears to be in a groove of some sort. I do not want to break the phenolic disk getting it off. Do any of you know how to get this disk off so I can complete the disassembly of these winches?

Thanks
Mitch

[Orion Jim]

Remove the circlip, the plate, the drum, the drum bearings, then gently pry the retaining key out of its groove and remove the spindle. It just being held in place by old grease. The retaining key is made out of pretty tough stuff so don't be afraid to manhandle it. Maybe a little mineral spirits daubed on with a brush will help to free it up by dissolving the old grease.

[Mitch K]

Orion Jim,
Thanks for the response. The problem I am having is that my winches are not assembled like current production Lewmar No 8 winch. I do have the circlip, I do not have top plates, and once I get the drum off, there is a phenolic washer that will not come off, and will not allow me to remove the drum bearings. I need to figure out how to get the phenolic washer off so I can remove the bearings. Here is a picture of the winches. I did not have time today to remove the drum and get a picture of the washer. Maybe tomorrow.

Mitch

[dbcreed]

Mitch, I have exactly the same winch you have, and have the same problem you described. Were you able to get the phenolic washer and bearing off? Mine are lewmar 8's on a 1975 Bristol 27.

[CharmCityBoater]

I also have the same winches. Was never able to figure this out. I just assumed they were never designed to be taken apart?

[Bill O]

Mitch,
Possibly contact Lewmar for their technical assistance??


Bill O.

[dbcreed]

Thanks for the replies. I found that the snap ring is accessed from underneath the winch. You must remove the winch, then access the snap ring up inside the base from underneath. That design must have only lasted for a few years at most, and was replaced by the snap ring on top.

[GordMay]

Lewmar winch manuals:

Copyright 2005 ➥ https://www.lewmar.com/sites/default...304%20iss6.pdf

From the 1970's ➥ http://2mor.com/wb/LewmarWinch.pdf